Soft footfalls landed on the old branches of mighty trees, the wood not even creaking as weight settled on it, the steps so fast nature couldn't even keep up with the speed of it. Jumping from tree to tree, arms outstretched and reaching for higher branches, their bodies moving like water as they flowed from one pose to the next, each motion serving a specific purpose as the jungle floor moved below them at an incredible pace. An aura flared in the distance like a bonfire that radiate its heat, magic rippled in all directions before it vanished in an instant without leaving a trace to follow, the difference from blasting magic into the world like waves to the total lack of energy at all made hands slip and feet get tangled, the sudden change was a huge surprise and threw of the carefully coordinated movements.

Despite some hiccups the hunt continued nonetheless, like a bloodhound following a scent the direction was still clear in mind. Getting closer to the target the usual energy signature the group had vanished, but instead of keeping the energy inside their bodies more gateways were opened to blend into the network of energy that permeates the world. Stealth wasn't the lack of a signature but rather blending your own signature with the world around you, allowing the energy of the world to use you as a pathway until you become invisible to magical senses.

Twenty figures stopped suddenly, their eyes fixed on a person below them, their breathing so shallow it didn't even move the leaves they hid behind. Amber, green and blue eyes following the person's movement. The black robe and the wide brimmed hat with the pointy tip marked him as the man they were looking for. Nervous glances were thrown to the staff he held in his hand, the top adorned by a blue gem, but what made them nervous was not the gem itself but the crystal clear poleaxe that was added on top of it.

Glances were exchanged and they all turned to one young woman at the back. Once the man was out of reach the leader whispered. "Faylin, you had contact with this stranger before. Should we approach him or stay away? We still don't know how dangerous he is."

"I'm not sure, the Matriarch fought him but wasn't really wounded when I saw him but maybe he just hid his wounds from me. I think we should leave him alone like he asked us."

"Impossible! He defiled our forest, he witnessed the power of the guardian. We can't let him live or he might share the existence of it.", one said.

"But what about that putrid magic we felt in the air? It didn't feel like he was responsible for it, his energy is colder, but not so…repulsive.", another one interjected.

"The Matriarch warned me of a necromancer in this area, she felt that foul magic the moment he entered the jungle. We don't know what he plans but this man…" her eyes looked at the black robe vanishing behind a tree. "...maybe he could help us figure things out, our magic is based in nature so we're at a disadvantage when it comes to the taint of necromancy."

Conflicted emotions were present on all of their faces as they each thought about a different approach. In the end it was Faylin who was brave enough to speak her mind.

"I would suggest we follow him and if he doesn't do anything to outrages that might conflict with our ways we could talk with him, openly and without showing aggression."

There was, of course, a lack of understanding for her approach but in the end the decision rested with their leader. She looked deep in thought but finally nodded and looked at the other elves before resting her eyes on Faylin. "A good plan, better than my idea at least. Let's go with Faylin's idea." All of them nodded in agreement and they continued to shadow the wizard.

Ethan kept his aura technique going for as long as possible, still there were moments where his body strained against the continued process of circling his energy through his body and if he was honest with himself, he preferred to keep his remaining fingers intact. Where his lack for self preservation came from was a mystery to him. Recklessness was never part of his personality before entering the tutorial. His first thoughts wandered to Nora but she was cold and detached, at least in everything not concerning Ethan. No this was deeper like a hidden layer buried in his mind, eyes wandered over his status and stopped at his race, he always knew elves were portrayed as pricks but was he becoming one now too? A lofty asshole that looks down at people and thinks everything he does will work out. He already looked down at people being quite tall. But unconsciously thinking he won't make mistakes might be a stretch. Maybe he was just trusting the system too much, even when he hated it.

A stray smile snuck its way onto his face, shaking his head as he tried to stop thinking about it. He could worry all he wanted but it wouldn't change the outcome. Ethan continued on his way, while looking for food he still kept an eye on those tall mountains, walking in a way that they were always on his right while circling around them. He and Nora had planned to meet on the other side of the mountain range where they guessed the literal end of this world might be. With the jungle being this big he was sure the end could actually be behind that mountain range. He was curious how it would look like, did this world float around in space? Was it attached to another tutorial or was there just a white wall of clouds blocking his way?

He shook his head and jumped over a fallen tree, a young one that didn't manage to get enough light with those giants around it blocking the way. He looked into the sky and wondered what earth would look like once he was back there, would a forest like this be normal? The swamps filled with undead? It sounded so absurd but he saw a literal dragon owl thing only half a day ago so everything was possible in this new magic filled universe.

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. Taking a deep breath he focused on the here and now, there was still time left on the clock but he wanted to use this time to not fight constantly but learn more to be as prepared as possible, there was so much he could do here, just imagining the amount of people he would encounter back on earth, all of them wielding weapons, skills and magic. It was mind blowing to think about it, for now only his own progress counted.

From improving his magic, his combat, his skills and especially the synergy between his classes. A plague mage wasn't the right choice, he knew that now but his growth wasn't bad and he would just go in a different direction. Looking at his interest in ritual magic and the endless possibilities of status effects was something worth exploring. Combining ice with something like rot sounded weird but if he could mold it into one superior status effect it could round out his build quite nicely.

While his train of thought was certainly on the right track his whole day was spent wandering around without encountering a single animal, circling his aura certainly helped but he was still plowing through the forest like he was riding a bulldozer, his mind too occupied to pay it any attention at all.

When the night drew closer he found one of the larger trees and sat down on the thick roots that broke through the earth, he rested his hand on the rough treebark and looked up to the sky, the first stars already visible. A night sky he didn't know looking back at him. His arm wandered to his belly, the hunger only grew over the day and he could literally eat anything at this point. "Stupid system…" he mumbled, his eyelids heavy. He wanted to sleep for a while but a sudden noise made him sit up straight, paranoia and adrenaline keeping him awake, the staff in his hand ready to be used for his magic.

A person stepped out of the shadow of the tree, their hands raised and no visible weapon on their body. He straightened his back, his aura blasting out a full force, he excluded the person in front of him but with those pesky elves he knew there were more around.

The moment he heard the first scream he slammed his staff into the ground, chains erupting from the soft earth and the trees itself. Everybody in his aura could naturally be felt by him if he focused on the blindspots, his magic couldn't overwrite a person's natural aura after all. Ethan caught quite the haul in just a few moments. While the woman he fought against was exceptionally strong, these ones were below him, he could feel the difference in strength between them…somehow.

One minute later he looked at the group of women shackled to the ground, some of them having sustained wounds from his necrotic frost aura, white and black spots marked her skin infected with the two elements under his control. He turned his aura around, simply by seeing them as allies and the marks vanished from them as his aura strengthened them now instead.

His eyes looked at each one of them, lingering a few seconds on the young woman he…questioned before. Then his eyes snapped back to the one in the middle, a woman that actually had signs of age on her face, wrinkles on her forehead and around the eyes, the look of wisdom and determination in them surprised Ethan.

"It seems you can't listen to what I told you. I said "stay away from me" and not "attach an entire platoon to me while I explore the jungle." Ethan squats down in front of the older elf and looks into her eyes. "Maybe you have a good reason to do so, why don't you tell me about it?" He tilted his head and tried to read something in her face but she hid her emotions quite well. Still she didn't hide her intentions and explained herself.

"We were following you because we first thought you were the person that tried to kill the forest, but after following you a while we noticed your aura was completely different, you don't have the same magic as the other one. The person that tried to complete the ritual where we found you."

Ethan sighed and sat down on an ice block that grew from the ground. "I know who he's but I don't think I can help you or rather I don't want to. I had enough problems because of him and if I can, I want to avoid him all together and just go my own way here."

"But he hurt the jungle! He tried to infect it with his taint! Even the guardian came from her sacred mountain! That hasn't happened in many years!" Another woman loudly proclaimed.

"Silence!" Ethan's voice was infused with magic and something…else. The elf woman stopped talking. "I told you to not bother me with it, the necromancer isn't human and I'm not even sure his little grudge against me matters at this point, his mind is too far gone and he follows an agenda I can't even begin to discern."

Ethan stood up and cracked his neck, resting his staff on his shoulders as he undid their chains. "I will go now. Stop. Following. Me." Ethan turned around and walked away, not even looking back at the group of kneeling elves.

"I-If you help us with him we will extend our hand in friendship and no longer bother you! We can even help you! Grant you gifts from our people and magical knowledge!"

His foot hovered in the air for a moment, he turned his head and looked back at them. "I need to go up the mountain in around twenty days…will you help me with that too."

Loud gasps all around, the mountain was after all a sacred place for them. The leader looked torn between duty and despair, but in the end she hesitantly nodded. "It will be done as you request."

Ethan walked towards her, helping her up and shook her hand. "Then we have a deal. My name is Ethan, what's yours?"

"I'm Lorena, leader of this group of scouts."

"It seems we have much to discuss then." He smiled. "Lead the way."

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